* Finland has officially assumed the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) starting from July 1, 2023, for a term of one year, the Finnish government announced in a press release on Saturday.
* The Czech Republic on Saturday took over the one-year presidency of the Visegrad Group (V4) from Slovakia, planning to build on the previous presidency's efforts to "return to the roots of cooperation."
* The 23rd ordinary summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) kicked off on Saturday in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, with 11 member states discussing issues of regional security and integration.
* The 193 member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved on Friday during an Extraordinary Session of the General Conference, the proposal submitted by the United States to rejoin the organization.
* Israel will buy a third squadron of F-35 stealth fighter jets in a deal worth $3 billion, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
* Iran will refrain from sending a new ambassador to Sweden in protest over the burning of a Koran outside a mosque in Stockholm, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday.
* The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party has won 60% of the seats in a parliamentary election, the election commission said on Saturday, as the main opposition party demanded a rerun of the vote that also saw President Julius Maada Bio win a second term.
* Syria said it repelled a missile salvo on Sunday from Israel, where police reported that remnants of a Syrian anti-aircraft missile struck a remote town without causing injuries.
* Russia's Gazprom GAZP.MM said it will send 41.2 mcm of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Sunday.
* The restart of a Swedish nuclear reactor which was due to be operational by the end of June following maintenance work has been postponed by three more weeks, Swedish Television (SVT) reported on Saturday.
* Thousands rallied in Australia on Sunday to back a campaign to recognise the country's Indigenous people in the constitution ahead of a referendum later this year, after a recent dip in support for the change.
* China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures as heatwaves are expected to scorch vast parts of the country.
* Japan's weather agency advised people in western and eastern Japan on Sunday to remain on alert for landslides in areas hit by heavy rain, warning that the temperature is expected to increase due to warm air flowing in from the south.
* A dozen people died and lives of many have been adversely affected due to rains and floods-related incidents in India's western state of Gujarat over the past days, local media reported on Sunday.
* The death toll from a road accident in western Kenya has risen to 51, police said Saturday, as rescue efforts are underway.
